Game Of Thrones Prequel Shows All Canceled?
Several announced Game of Thrones spinoffs have been removed from active development, leading to fears they have been canceled.
The successful first season of the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon may have reinvigorated the fanbase, but all is not well in Westeros. According to the website for Startling, Inc., the production company working with HBO on the Game of Thrones franchise, all but one planned spinoffs has seemingly been removed from their production slate. Whether or not the planned series have been canceled has not been confirmed by HBO, but it is an unexpected and disturbing turn for fans expecting more content from the fantasy franchise.
As reported by Wiki of Thrones, Startling had previously listed three spinoff series on their website: Steve Conrad’s Dunk and Egg, The Nine Voyages of the Sea Snake, and Amanda Segal’s series Ten Thousand Ships. As of today, only Dunk and Egg is still listed on their development slate, with no explanation as to why the others were removed. Usually, removing a series from active development is the first step before cancelation, although that is not the only possible outcome.
It should be noted that just because a series is no longer listed on the Startling website, that doesn’t mean it is cancelled. For example, the proposed Jon Snow sequel series, titled Snow, was never included on the production company’s list, despite reports that the series entered active development last June. That likely means another production company is in charge of development.
The Snow series seems to be the most anticipated of the Game of Thrones spinoffs to be in development. At different points earlier this year, reports surfaced that John Bradley (who played Samwell Tarly) and Gwendoline Christie (who played Brienne of Tarth) could appear in the series. That sounds like a cancel-proof series, considering the popularity of the actors and characters involved.
However, Startling was the production firm that produced the entire Game of Thrones series, and is currently at work on House of the Dragon. It seems unlikely they would allow one of their series to go to another production company. Cancelation seems the more logical reason.
The Nine Voyages of the Sea Snake series, however, was particularly an interesting spinoff series to House of the Dragon fans, as the character, portrayed by Steve Toussaint, has been a breakthrough character among fans post-Game of Thrones. HBO would be foolish not to capitalize on that popularity.
However, as we’ve seen with HBO’s new owner Warner Bros. Discovery, no franchise, film, or TV series, not even Game of Thrones, is safe from cancelation. After the newly-formed conglomerate was formed last year after a mega-merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, new management went about canceling multiple films and TV series, including the highly anticipated Batgirl film for HBO, despite spending about $90 on its production. Game of Thrones projects had so far been spared the cancel hammer, it seems, but that may have changed.
In March of 2021, HBO renewed its production deal with George R.R. Martin, the creator of Game of Thrones, which gave them first dibs on any proposed projects he may be crafting for the franchise. The author had previously revealed that development on multiple Game of Thrones spinoffs and prequels were being done in secret, so perhaps a simple slate change is not an indication that it was canceled and much ado about nothing.
In addition to Dunk and Egg, Startling also lists a Game of Thrones stage play, Harrenhal, A Song Of Ice and Fire as still in development. An animated series called Ice Dragon is still listed as in development on the company website as well.
